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by Center for Strategic and International Studies
The CSIS Americas Program podcast looks at the politics and policies of the 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere. It especially focuses on U.S. engagement with the region, whether on trade, diplomacy, or security issues like drugs and terrorism. Guests include top policymakers from the U.S. and other countries.
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- 1 weeks ago28 min
Beyond Left and Right: Colombia’s 2026 Presidential Election
The conversation examines how Colombia’s election reflects a fragmented political landscape and a deeper debate over the future direction of the country. Rubio and Cifuentes discuss the main candidates shaping the race, the durability of President Gustavo Petro’s political project, and the growing divide between those calling for continuity and those seeking a sharper break from the current government. They also analyze how security has reemerged as a central campaign issue, particularly amid criticism of “Total Peace,” the persistence of armed groups, and the appeal of harder-line approaches to public order. The episode also explores the economic and governance challenges the next administration will inherit, including fiscal pressures, weak private investment, energy policy, and strained public services. Rubio and Cifuentes close with a discussion of U.S.-Colombia relations, Colombia’s role in the region, and the resilience of democratic institutions at a moment when polarization and populist politics are reshaping electoral debates across Latin America.
- 3 weeks ago26 min
Unpacking Peru's First-Round Elections
On April 12, Peruvians took to the polls to vote in the first round of elections that would decide the country’s next president. Some hoped the elections would help usher in an end to the country’s long running political crisis where no president has served out a full term since 2016. However, delays and complications in counting the votes, and fraud allegations leveled by some candidates turned the April election into its own miniature crisis. In this episode, Henry Ziemer sits down with Mitra Taj, a freelance reporter based in Lima to unpack the results of the first round of voting. Together they explore the key figures and power brokers heading into the runoff, as well as how the two candidates, Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sánchez, will likely approach key issues of economic development, security policy, and relations with Congress. They also explore the significance of the elections for ongoing U.S.-China competition in South America.
- Apr 30, 202629 min
Presidential Personalities with Ignacio Arana Araya
The character and temperament of a leader can have a major impact on both the quality of governance, as well as the health and stability of democratic systems. But how exactly this manifests, as well as what the risk factors are for determining whether an elected leader might attempt a power grab while in office remain opaque, complicating the ability of voters and analysts alike to make actionable assessments of presidential personalities. In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Ignacio Arana Araya, an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University and author of the book Presidential Personalities and Constitutional Power Grabs in Latin America, 1945-2021. Together, they discuss common trends in presidential power grabs, risk factors, and how institutions can guard against these. They also analyze contemporary dynamics in Latin America, including moves by El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele to extend his tenure in office.
- Apr 16, 202634 min
Human Rights in Nicaragua
Since massive anti-government protests in Nicaragua in 2018, and a subsequent brutal government crackdown, President Daniel Ortega and his Co-President spouse, Rosario Murillo, have progressively consolidated power through systematic repression of political opposition, civil society, independent media, and religious actors. A report published March 10 by the United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of these patterns of repression and their evolution, including serious, systematic and widespread human rights violations, some amounting to crimes against humanity. In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Jan-Michael Simon, Chair of the United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua and a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law. Together, they discuss the Ortega-Murillo regime's repressive apparatus within Nicaragua, as well as its international reach. They also analyze the role of the international community, and multilateral bodies like the UN and Organization of American states in continuing to raise awareness of conditions within Nicaragua, and advocating for justice for victims of the regime.
- Apr 3, 202629 min
Venezuela Three Months After Absolute Resolve
It has been nearly three months since Operation Absolute Resolve and so much has happened in Venezuela. Under pressure from the United States, the country’s interim authorities, led by Delcy Rodriguez, have pushed through a raft of legislation, such as a reform to the hydrocarbons law, an amnesty law, and they are now working on a reform to the country’s mining laws. The United States still controls the international marketing and sale of Venezuela’s oil, supervising the spending of the country’s revenues. Several cabinet-level officials from the United States have visited Caracas, and some oil and gas companies are signing deals. Both sides have stated their intention to reestablish relations, and the United States has reopened its embassy in Caracas. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Rafael de la Cruz, Director of the Office of María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia in the United States. Together, they discuss political developments within Venezuela and the opposition's strategy for continuing to push forward a democratic transition. They also explore the country's first steps towards recovery and what steps are necessary to rebuild the Venezuelan economy.
- Mar 20, 202633 min
Unpacking Costa Rica's Elections
On February 1, Costa Rica held elections to determine its next president. The vote ushered in a new political phase amid economic pressures, public dissatisfaction with traditional parties, and growing regional security challenges. The outcome of these elections carries implications not only for Costa Rica’s domestic governance, but also for democratic trends throughout Central America, regional economic cooperation, and bilateral relations with the United States. In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Kevin Casas, the Secretary General of International IDEA, former Vice President of Costa Rica and an expert on democratic governance, political institutions, and international affairs. Together, the two discuss the election results, President-elect Laura Fernández' agenda for governance, and what the election means for Costa Rica's regional relations. They also delve into some of the key issues Fernández will face in office, ranging from economic growth priorities, to rising concerns over crime and violence, to relations with the Trump administration in the United States.
- Mar 5, 202632 min
Best of 35 West: LAC Fighters in Ukraine
This episode of 35 West originally aired on February 23, 2024. As the war in Ukraine passes four years of high-intensity fighting, Latin American foreign fighters are playing an increasingly key role. Recent estimates suggest that as many as 7,000 Colombians are fighting on behalf of Ukraine, while thousands of Cubans are present in Russia's ranks. Within this context, CSIS is re-releasing this special episode of 35 West. In this Best of 35 West episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy, sat down with Elizabeth M.F. Grasmeder, Adjunct Professor of National Security Policy with Duke University, and Andrei Serbin Pont, Executive Director of CRIES-LAC, for a conversation on X (formerly Twitter) about the role of foreign fighters from LAC on both sides in Ukraine. Together, they unpacked the motivations of fighters for joining both Ukraine and Russia, why Moscow and Kyiv have turned to recruiting foreign fighters, and the broader implications of war in Ukraine for Latin American countries.
- Feb 19, 202633 min
Best of 35 West: Derechos Humanos en Cuba / Human Rights in Cuba
This episode of 35 West originally aired on January 12, 2024. En esta edición especial en español, Christopher Hernández-Roy, Director Adjunto y Senior Fellow del Programa sobre las Américas, conversa con Yaxys Cires, Director de Estrategia del Observatorio Cubano de Derechos Humanos sobre los resultados del último Examen Periódico Universal de Cuba del Consejo de Derechos Humanos de Naciones Unidas. Analizan la dicotomía entre la retórica gubernamental y la triste realidad de los derechos humanos en Cuba así como la profunda crisis económica que atraviesa la isla y cómo el régimen de Díaz-Canel ha respondido a estas presiones. In this special Spanish-language episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow with the Americas Program, sits down with Yaxys Cires, Director of Strategy at the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights to discuss the recent United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review of Cuba. They discuss the dichotomy between the government’s rhetoric and the sad reality of Cuba's human rights record. They also discuss the mounting economic crisis facing the island and how the Díaz-Canel government has responded to these pressures.
About 35 West
The CSIS Americas Program podcast looks at the politics and policies of the 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere. It especially focuses on U.S. engagement with the region, whether on trade, diplomacy, or security issues like drugs and terrorism. Guests include top policymakers from the U.S. and other countries.
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